Artwork
Design for a Pendant with a Fish Carrying Tobias and the Angel
Design for a Pendant with a Fish Carrying Tobias and the Angel is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Adriaen Collaert. It dates from 1582 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The composition centers on the biblical narrative of Tobias and the Angel, depicted riding atop a large fish, a motif derived from the Book of Tobit.
Adriaen Collaert's 1582 engraving, Design for a Pendant with a Fish Carrying Tobias and the Angel, serves as a detailed model for a piece of jewelry, likely intended for a goldsmith to execute in metal. The composition centers on the biblical narrative of Tobias and the Angel, depicted riding atop a large fish, a motif derived from the Book of Tobit. This central scene is framed by an elaborate, Mannerist pendant structure featuring a swirled upper section with suspension loops and a lower, chandelier-like arrangement of dangling orbs and intricate scrollwork.
Created during the height of the Antwerp printmaking tradition, the work exemplifies Collaert's skill in translating complex religious iconography into decorative arts. As a design print, it bridges the gap between two-dimensional graphic art and three-dimensional object design, reflecting the period's fascination with combining sacred themes with luxurious ornamentation. The piece highlights Collaert's role within the broader network of Flemish artists who produced designs for the luxury market, demonstrating how religious stories were adapted for personal adornment in the late sixteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The central fish carries a standing figure holding a staff and a seated companion who gazes downward, a visual reference to the biblical story of Tobias and the angel, in which a fish plays a pivotal role. The open mouth of the creature and the attentive posture of the riders suggest a moment of guidance or revelation.
Technique & Style
Collaert’s engraving employs fine, sharply cut lines that render intricate details of metalwork, from the decorative frame to the textured scales of the fish. The precision of the incised lines creates a sense of depth and texture, characteristic of late‑Renaissance Northern European printmaking.
History & Provenance
Created in 1582, the print served as a preparatory model for a jewelry pendant, illustrating the collaborative relationship between engravers and goldsmiths in the Flemish workshop system. While the original metal pendant is unrecorded, the engraving survives in several print collections, documenting Collaert’s role in disseminating ornamental designs.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
- Design for a Pendant with a Sea-Monster Carrying Neptune on an Urn Flanked by a River-God with an Oar
Design for a Pendant with a Sphinx with the Body of a Fish Carrying a Man with an Oar
Design for a Pendant with Sea-Monster Carrying a Woman on a Shell Flanked by a Triton and a Man with an Oar
Design for a Pendant with a Sea-Monster in a Shell Carrying a Triton and a Woman with a Sail
Design for a Pendant with a Sea-Monster Carrying Thetis and a Man with a Sail
Design for a Pendant with a Sea-Monster Carrying Neptune Flanked by Two Figures
Design for a Pendant with a Sea-Monster Carrying Neptune Flanked by Two Nereids
Design for a Pendant with a Winged Sea-Monster Carrying Venus Anadyomene on a Shell and a Man with an Oar
Title Plate with Designs for Pendants
Strapwork Pendant with Two Eagles as Earringsat Left and Right
Strapwork Pendant with Two Birds as Earrings at Left and Right
Large Pendant, Lower Left and Right Two Creatures of the Sea